Back to 1981, My Love

Zachary Pint is a twenty-four-year-old young adult who's in search for a stable job to help his financially desperate family. Ever since the death of his father, he has been burdened with becoming the provider of the family, so much so that at one point, he had three jobs done altogether just to make ends meet. His mother fell ill right after the death of his father, so helping out wasn't an option. Zachary had to do everything on his own. He had a younger brother that was still attending school and he had to provide for him too. Fortunately, his brother was intelligent enough to get a scholarship at his university, so Zachary didn't have to worry about the tuition. He was walking home from his part-time job at a small coffee shop when he saw a pamphlet on a public board talking about a wanted caretaker. He looked at it closely and took a photo of it. Becoming a caretaker wasn't such a bad idea, especially if it pays well. The information in the pamphlet was limited. It only had an email where you could send your resume, but Zachary thought it was worth a shot. He finally arrives home and is welcomed by his mother. He greets her then heads to his room to change and apply for that caretaker job. He opened up his laptop and updated his resume before he sent it to the email address that was provided. They have probably received tons of applications already and there would be little to no chance for him to get this job. But trying doesn't harm anyone. He pressed send and hoped for the best. After that, he heads to his bathroom to take a shower and get a change of clothes. It was past six when his little brother arrived from school. He greeted him and was greeted back. "How was school buddy?" he asked. Jonathan placed his bag on the couch and sat down, taking his shoes off. He then grabs a carrot stick from the table and munched it. "Same old, same old. How's work?" Zachary shrugged. It's not like special things happen at his job. "Same stuff. Serving coffee to customers with large bags under their eyes." he mocks, which made Jonathan chuckle. "Now, now you don't judge people like that. Those people must be working hard too." Jenny reprimands upon hearing what her children were talking about. Zachary and Jonathan both snickered and fist bumped each other before apologizing to the old woman. They all sat at the dinner table and ate their food while discussing each other's days. They were a small, humble yet happy family. The death of their father was very tragic, but that didn't make them give up on life altogether. Aside from the fact that their mother fell ill right after the incident, they were coping emotionally and mentally. The only thing that was not going well for them was money. After dinner, Zachary went back to his room to check on his emails and, to his surprise, he got a new message. Opening to see who it was, his eyes widened in disbelief. The email he sent his resume to had replied already. It thanked him for his application and asked to meet for an initial interview, giving him an address to where he needed to report to. "Is this serious?" he skeptically asked himself, looking at the email once again. Jonathan got inside the room to look for a book when he saw his brother's face contorted into confusion. "You okay? You're not solving a math problem, are you?" Jonathan asked, approaching him. Zachary pulls him closer and shows him the email. "Dude, I think I just got a job." He says with a worried tone in his voice. Jonathan looked at him confused. If his brother was getting a job, why was he making a concerned face? "Okay? Isn't that something good?" He asked, confused at how Zachary was acting. "You're not dealing drugs are you?" Zachary rolls his eyes, opening the email and showing Jonathan the address to where he needs to go. "Doesn't this address look familiar to you?" He says, pointing at the underlined address on the email. Jonathan frowns and examines the address. At first, it didn't get to him until he remembered where that address was. He grabs the laptop and double checks, searching Google just to be sure. When he got the result, he adjusted his glasses with a shocked expression. "You got a job at Harlow Estate?! Are you kidding me?!" Jonathan exclaims, covering his mouth. "Wait, is this legit?!" Zachary couldn't believe it either. The Harlow Estate is one of the biggest properties in the entire city. It's owned by a wealthy businessman, a sixty-five-year-old tycoon, Mr. Evan Harlow. The old man was known to be the hottest bachelor back in his days and was one of the most successful heirs amongst the elite businessmen during that time. He owns hotels, malls and a real estate business all across the country and has been featured in magazines and television. He was 'IT'. But why did they post such a simple pamphlet on a public bulletin board if they were searching to hire a caretaker? He could buy an entire army of caretakers if he wanted to. So why was it advertised this way? Zachary was mind-blown. He took his laptop and closed it, trying to process everything. "Dude, I checked it and it's the real thing! Oh my god!" Jonathan exclaims, waving his hands in the air. "What did you apply for?" Zachary was pulled back to reality. He was so shocked that he could barely think of any possible way to explain this. "A caretaker. I applied to become a caretaker." He explains. "How much pay do you get for this?!" Jonathan asked. He was violently shaking his brother in excitement. This doesn't happen to anyone by pure chance. He literally got chosen to work for the 'Evan Harlow' and will be paid an exceedingly generous amount of money for sure. It was like the heavens just answered their prayers. Upon realizing this, both of the Pint brothers started screaming and jumping in excitement and joy. They got their pillows and started hitting each other, laughing and shouting. The old woman had to check their room to see what all the fuss was about and she was pulled into a tight hug by Zachary. Jonathan joined in and they both explained to their mother how their lives would change in just a couple of days. She was overwhelmed with joy and started crying, hugging her sons and just being thankful for the chance that was given to them. It was the happiest day of their lives. A few days after receiving the email, Zachary headed to the Harlow Estates. He took a taxi just to get there and had to show the guards of the property the confirmation email that he was indeed allowed to enter. Prior, he had informed the owner of the coffee shop that he was quitting. Sad to see him go, the owner sent him a parting gift. He was a great employee and his manager and the owner acknowledged that. He was, of course, grateful and sad at the same time. But he had to choose a job that would benefit him and his family greatly and this was it. He had reached the end of where the taxi could go. He was dropped in front of a very large and wide gate. It had Harlow Estate embedded on the top and there was another guard inside, asking him what he was coming there for. He eagerly showed the confirmation of his visit sent via email to the guard and soon enough, he heard the gates open. He was let inside, was checked to see if he had any dangerous weapons on him before being allowed to go. He walked a few steps and was asked to ride a small yet fancy cart by another male worker. A property as big as this definitely needs tons of people working. He got in and was taken past an immaculate garden maze to the main door of the manor. It was huge. He was in awe. The door opened for him and inside was an old man, dressed in a tailcoat suit, greeting him. He greeted him back shyly and he was led to a fancy-looking library inside. He was just observing and in awe of the luxurious home. Rich people have it good. He got inside the library room and not far from him was an old man in a wheelchair. This must be his employer. The real thing, in flesh and blood, Evan Harlow. The old man had a frown and wasn't too pleased to see him or maybe that was just his normal face, who knows. He sat on a red cushioned couch with a golden ensemble just across him. Zachary sat awkwardly and soon was being introduced. "Sir, this is Zachary Pint, your newly hired caretaker. Sir Zachary, this is Mr. Evan Harlow and starting today, you have to tend to him and take care of him." The old butler informed him. Zachary was dumbstruck. Starting today? He wasn't able to properly bid farewell to his family and he thought this was going to be an initial interview to confirm if he was going to get hired or not. It was all too sudden. Zachary wasn't able to properly take it all in yet when he was left alone with Mr. Harlow in the room. There was just this awkward silence before he decided to break it off and speak to the guy. "You have a wonderful home sir." He stated, nervously looking around to avoid direct eye contact. The old man had been staring at him ever since he got there and for him it was nerve-wracking. The old man looked horribly sick and for him to be in a wheelchair meant he wasn't able to walk on his own anymore. "It's not a home, it's a house. A structure. You can only call it home if you are happy to be there." the old man replied. His voice filled with resentment. Zachary gulped nervously. He didn't know how to reply to such a strong statement. He came here without knowing what he was dealing with and, from the looks of it, it was going to be tough. The old man was wealthy, so he should have expected that he would be an asshole. Don't rich people usually act that way? Zachary chuckles nervously. "Oh right. A home is where your heart feels contentment and happiness." He couldn't believe he was going to be living in this manor for god-knows how long. He hasn't received his contract yet, so he doesn't know the specifications of his job. Besides, it still bugs him why he was chosen out of everyone to become this billionaire's caretaker. Couldn't they just hire someone from a very well-known agency to do this job? It was weird for them to post a simple-looking pamphlet in a public place. The pamphlet didn't even include their information. When he applied, he didn't even know it was for the Harlow Estate, which was insane. He wasn't sure if it was a good idea, but he asked all of the questions he had in his head to the old man. Evan reached to the table and pulled an old photo from the pile of books sitting there. He handed it to him, which Zachary cautiously accepted. He looked at the image and was stupefied to see a person that looked exactly like him. "Ishia Huax. He was a dear friend I had before. He passed away at such an early age and I couldn't help but notice your resemblance." Evan informed him, looking directly at the young man. Zachary was just speechless. It's as if he was looking at a photo of himself edited to look like it was a photo from the 80's. He returned the photo to the man and nodded politely. It was such a bizarre reason to get hired. To look like your employer's late friend. "It's uncanny. It felt like it was me in the photo. So is it the reason I got hired, sir?" he asked. Making sure he says the right things in front of the man. The old man nodded meekly. He pulled out another piece of paper that had a dry seal of the Harlow Estate on it. He handed it to him and when Zachary read the contents of the paper, he almost choked at his own saliva. It had the details of his job and, of course, how much he was being paid. His eyes almost left their sockets when he saw the amount he gets monthly. "A hundred thousand dollars a month?! Holy sh--" "Save the profanity. I don't like hearing it in my house." Evan reprimands. He then hands him a pen to sign. "Sign it if you feel like everything's good and tell Michael if you have concerns." Zachary was quick to sign it. Who would even say no to such an offer? Live in a gigantic, luxurious mansion and get paid a hundred thousand bucks a month to take care of an old man? He was in. It will definitely take care of all the debts their father left. He can have his mother admitted to the hospital to make sure she's properly treated and he can pay for all the miscellaneous fees at Jonathan's school. It was going to change their lives. After signing, Michael, the old butler from earlier came in and took the papers. He invited Zachary to follow him so he could show him around and brief him of his duties. First, he was taken to his quarters. It was the nearest room next to Mr. Harlow's. It was designed to be near, so if ever the old master needed anything, the caretaker was quick to provide. The room was spacious and fancy. It had its own bathroom and a large bed. An empty counter and a large cabinet that was made out of sandalwood. Inside, he had his uniform. An inner long white sleeves, tailor-made black slacks and a black vest to go with it. Under the uniform were the Aubercy Diamond Shoes he had to wear every day while assisting the old master. He was in awe, unable to react normally. Just jaw-dropped at the fancy things he was seeing. He was given a list of the things he needed to do every day before Michael left to tend to his other duties. "Holy s**t. This is really happening." He marveled. He jumped into his new bed and started bouncing up and down excitedly. He was rich. They were rich. He was so thankful for the fact that he looked so much alike to that Ishia guy. He checked the time and it was almost time for him to start. He was hired today and needs to start working immediately. He went to get a shower, got dressed and looked at his duties again. "Basically, I needed to do everything for him. Great." He remarks sarcastically as he gets out of his room and heads to the library where the old man was left earlier. He eagerly waved at him with a smile which the old man didn't really respond to. "I'm back!" "It's Sir. You refer to your employer as 'sir'." Evan scolds. Zachary frowns and apologizes. Evan mentioned he wanted some fresh air and wanted to go outside, and so Zachary took him, pushing the wheelchair on their way there. They headed to the mystical and huge garden maze. Zachary couldn't stop being astonished at how magnificent this manor is. He was able to see a good view of the landscape since they were on the second-floor terrace. Rich people really have it all. How nice would it be if they lived in a place like this and not cramped in some run-down, one-floor, two-bedroom house like they have. He was looking around, basking in its wonder, when his eyes landed on an old well at the far center of the maze. "Is that a well?" He asked mostly to himself, but Evan heard him. "It's an old well built by my late father in remembrance of my mother. He used to tell me that through it, he gets to talk to her again." The old man informed, whilst staring into the distance. Zachary thought that it was sweet of the late Harlow to build such a memento for his late wife. He probably must have loved her so much. It made him wonder why Mr. Evan isn't married yet. He had the money, the appearance probably, so what's there not to want? "It makes me wonder why you didn't marry, sir." He commented. "That's none of your business!" Evan shouted, which surprised him. "Your job is to take care of me and that's it. I suggest you don't get your nose into other people's personal lives." He scolds angrily. Zachary felt bad. He was just asking. There was no need to shout or get angry. He frowned, upset for the rest of the day but still doing his job diligently. When the day was over, and the old man was tucked in bed, Zachary went to his room and weakly flopped down the bed. He buried his face against the sheets and screamed, letting his frustrations out. The old man was so hard to deal with. He kept nagging, shouting out of nowhere and was just always angry. Maybe that's why he was accepted, because no one would want to deal with his s**t anymore. But Zachary, he needed the money. People may call it desperation and they would be correct. He was desperate. Desperate to get his family out of the situation they were in. If it meant he'd have to deal with the old hag's antics, he'd do it for a hundred thousand dollars anytime. He remembered he wasn't able to call his family the entire day. He quickly grabbed his phone from his bag and facetimed. Jonathan picked the phone up and was so happy to see Zachary calling. "Dude, I'm sorry I called so late." He explained. Jonathan shrugged it off that it was no big deal and asked how his day went and why he hadn't come home yet. Zachary had to explain everything and, of course, tell them how much he was gonna make every month. Jonathan exploded in excitement. Covering his mouth, he couldn't believe it was the amount his brother was going to make every month. "Dude! We're f*****g rich! What the heck!" The younger Pint exclaimed. Zachary chuckles, seeing his brother this happy made everything so worth it. It was just his first day but it felt like he'd been in the manor for a century. "You have to tell mom when she wakes up. We're finally out of poverty, my man!" he replied to his younger brother, grinning wide. Jonathan nodded and promised to tell their mother everything. The siblings talked about tons of things until late in the evening. They were just so excited about the future. The next couple of days, Zachary spent doing his job diligently amidst the nagging old man's constant resentment towards him and the world. He refused to give up. He did everything without fail, without complaining and with enthusiasm. One time, when he was bathing the old man, he kept complaining and shouting, hitting him with anything he was able to hold. It was the worst. Sometimes he wonders what the hell happened in this guy's life that led him to have so much pent-up anger inside him. Setting that aside, Zachary was able to pull it off. He survived a month in this hell hole and got his first pay and happily sent it to his mother's account. One day, while he was done cleaning the bathroom, he went back to the kitchen where he left the old man. But to his horror, the old man was leaning against the counter and was trying to reach for something. Due to his paralyzed feet, he was having a hard time. Zachary rushed to help him. "Sir, let me help you with that." He approached, trying to make the old man sit back down in his wheelchair. "Get away! I can do it." He said as he rejected the help. Zachary sighed, having no choice but to force him back down for his safety. But Evan angrily pushes him away in defiance. "Are you deaf?! I told you to get away!" He shouts, pushing the male away angrily. This caused Zachary to lose his footing and crash against a shelf that housed wine glasses. The impact caused the glasses to wiggle out of place and fall on Zachary's head. The amount of glasses that fell on him caused his head to start bleeding. Evan was too stunned to do anything. Seeing the young male hurt, he quickly calls for Michael and gets back down in his wheelchair. "Call my doctor! Hurry!" He ordered, frantic. He maneuvered his wheelchair to approach the young male, checking if he was okay. "Hang in there, help is coming. Stay with me Zachary." He said softly. Zachary was able to hear the male's voice before his vision started to blur and soon he fell unconscious. It had been hours since the incident and Zachary soon woke up, groaning and feeling a light pang in his head. He sat up slowly and looked around. He realized he wasn't in his room. It was a much bigger room and much more luxurious. He flinched when he heard Mr. Howard's voice. "Zachary, are you alright? How are you feeling?" Evan approached. "Yes sir. I'm fine. Just a little pain in my noggin' but it's all good." He answers with a smile. This made the old male sigh in relief. But if he were to be honest, he was really embarrassed at how he acted earlier. Pushing his caretaker like that was totally out of the question. He never wanted to hurt him. Zachary was nothing but patient and kind towards him from the very beginning. "I apologize. My actions caused you harm and that's not something I'm proud of. You must probably hate me now and I would understand if you wanted to apply for a resignation." Evan said in the most sincere way he could muster. He knew no one would be able to tolerate him. But to his surprise, Zachary reached out to hold his hand. He was perplexed. "Sir, you don't have to worry. I'm not leaving. I'll stay with you." He informs the old man and pats his hand before letting him go. That's when Evan realized that he had found someone that was really willing to stay. He started to tear up. Most of the people he hired before Zachary were there for the money, because they knew it was Evan Harlow that was hiring them, but when they got to know how hard he was to handle, they resigned and left. He knew Zachary was there for the money too, of course. But he had been very patient and kind to him. And even after accidentally hurting him, he still chose to stay. Evan was lonely. He lived in this massive house but he had no one. He had the money but there was no cure for his illness. His resentment towards what happened to him made him hate everything. Zachary seeing the old man cry made his heart soft. There's just something about old people crying that is so hurtful to watch. Who knew a person this wealthy would still cry? He sure needed the money, but he also cared for this old man's well-being. He felt like he was given the chance to take care of his late father, which he wasn't able to do when he was still alive. He stands up, approaches the old man and hugs him for comfort. He probably feels alone all the time and he wasn't just a caretaker but also his only company. Late that night, they decided to take a stroll inside the garden maze and visit that old well. Zachary was feeling a lot better and he asked him if they could see the mystical well up close. Evan agreed and so there they were. The well was very old-looking. But it had something that drew Zachary to it. It was created beautifully. He approached it, wanting to examine it further. "Does it have water inside?" He asked, peeking in by leaning closer to the mouth of the well. "Hey Zachary, don't get too close. It's not that sturdy anymore." Evan reminded him, concerned that he might trip and fall. Zachary brushes the idea off and resorts to peeking inside the well closer. Holding unto the post connected to it that holds the wooden bucket. "Zachary, I don't think that's a good idea. Come back here." Evan reprimands, uncomfortable with how leaned in the boy was. Zachary didn't wanna stress the old guy, so he listened, but the moment that he wanted to back away from his position, the post he was holding onto collapsed. He, along with the debris of the post, fell into the well in just the blink of an eye. The horrified expression of the old man couldn't be painted as he saw how Zachary fell to his demise. "NOOO!" When Zachary was falling, he felt everything was in slow motion. He could still see the mouth of the well and hear the old man's cries for help. He was free-falling but slowly. He decided that if he were to fall on a concrete ground, he should brace for impact. He quickly closed his eyes and hoped he'd survive this fall. Moments later, he felt himself fall and a loud thud was heard when he landed on the ground. He grunts and quickly opens his eyes to check if he survived that, but to his surprise, he wasn't in any deep well. He was back in Mr. Evan Harlow's master bedroom. The walls, however, looked more vintage. He observes his surroundings, wanting to understand how he got there in the first place when he closely remembered he was free-falling in the well. He noticed that he was on the floor covered by a blanket. Wait, is this where he fell? The loud thud from earlier wasn't him hitting the end of the well but rather him falling from the bed and hitting the floor? Stupefy, he stands up and screams when he realizes he is completely naked. He quickly covered himself, confused. He jumped from where he was standing when he heard somebody groaning. He looked to the other side of the bed and on it was a handsome sleeping man. This man had similar features to Mr. Evan Harlow. But this guy had nicely built muscles, a beautifully-sculpted face and, to his horror, was also naked. He was too stunned to even react at that point. He wasn't able to notice the guy sitting up, rubbing his sleepy eyes, then turned to look at him. The young man smiled, seeing the other there with him. "How was sleep? You woke up rather early." The young version of Evan spoke. It was the same voice. What in the world was happening? Zachary frowned, confused. He was holding the blanket to cover himself and slowly reached for a vase, pointing it at the guy. "Who the hell are you?! Where's Mr. Harlow?!" He demands, cautiously stepping away from the bed. The young Evan started to chuckle, stretching his arms. He had perfectly sculpted muscles all around his body, it was something guys like Zachary would dream of having. But that wasn't the point. Who was this person and why were they there? Evan yawned, smiling at Zachary. "What is this? Are you into roleplay now?" Zachary resisted the reaction to gasp. Roleplay? What? This man is messing with him. "I'm only going to say it again. Where is Mr. Harlow?! What have you done to him?!" He threatens with the vase in his hand. Evan shook his head in disbelief, giving him a 'are you're kidding me' look. "Alright Ishia, let's stop the crazy-talk and tell me what's going on. Are you on drugs?" He asks. Zachary remembered this name. Ishia? Wasn't it the name of the old man's late friend? The one that looks exactly like him? Zachary was starting to freak out. "I'm not Ishia. I'm Zachary! Tell me who you are or I'll swear I'll call the police!" He threatened. Evan sighed, putting his hand on his chest, mockingly introducing himself. "Hi there, I'm Evan Harlow. Nice to meet you. There, happy now?" Zachary's eyes widened, which soon turned to nervous laughter. "You're Evan Harlow? Really now? Then how come you're not sixty-five years old, huh?! You mean to tell me you magically got younger in the blink of an eye?! Who would fall for that? Dude, it's 2022, you need to cut this s**t out and tell me the truth because I am freaking out right now!" Evan frowned. "2022? What drugs are you taking, seriously? I'm not sixty-five because it's 1981 and I'm twenty-four years old!" He retorts back, now growing annoyed at the crazy-talk. But Zachary isn't going to fall for it so easily. He scoffs at the information given to him, not accepting this crazy s**t as the truth. "1981? Really now? Show me some proof then." He proudly threatened. Evan sighed, grabbed a calendar from the counter near his bed. Tosses it to Zachary and, to his horror, sees the date exactly as Evan says. "July 4, 1981..."